“HOW DARE HE!”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 504, 6 November 1928, Page 13

“HOW DARE HE!”

MR. STALLWORTHY INDIGNANT

MR. COATES ATTACKED “I am exceedingly sorry to have to refer politically to the Prime Minister in the way I am going to do this evening,” said Mr. A. J. Stall Worthy,” in the course of stringent criticism of the Reform Party last evening. The United candidate stood on the stage of the Royal Theatre, Kingsland, and addressed an audience of about 300 electors. He was obliged to cross swords with several determined hecklers throughout the evening, and references to the P.P.A. were frequent, but he was given a good reception by the bulk of the listeners. “How dare Mr. Coates come to a self-respecting community and try to bribe the people?” he asked when referring to the Prime Minister’s promises regarding Motuihi Island and Mount Albert. GOOD TIDINGS Observing that, at this juncture, the people could not afford to be careless about their Parliament, he said that the United Party’s policy brought tidings of great prosperity. Everyone was having a* bad time —women were working to keep their homes together until their husbands could get employment, hundreds of business people were finding it hard to keep their signs up, scores of residents who had hoped to retire were finding investments so poor that they had to start afresh. This was the result of Reform’s policy of interference and neglect. Now had come the amazing' United policy—a bombshell in the Reform ranks as the Hon. K. S. Williams had admitted. United was rising on a tide of confidence and hope of prosperity that would carry them over the top and into the Treasury benches. A Voice: Not on your life. . . . Then the people could sing, with thankful hearts, “Hard times come again no more.” Mr. Stallworthy described as “sinister” the fact that the Highways Board had £982,000 idle while men were out of employment. When asked about this the Prime Minister td|pk two months to find a reply, but the Highways Board had been given wider powers just before the end of the session. MODESTY Mr. Coates was carrying too many portfolios because he had not got enough men of business ability in his Cabinet. In its proposed Cabinet the United Party had found men of suitable and high calibre without difficulty. A Voice: Were you one? Mr. Stallworthy: You force me to say it. I was, and Mr. Jim Donald was another.' (Applause.) “It’s your right and duty to know all about the private lives and business abilities of your candidates,” he said in inviting his audience to vote against him if anything wrong about his life or ability' could be discovered. A Voice: Cut out the sob stuff. Amid numerous interruptions, the voice of the candidate could be heard saying that the United Party put any other iri the shade. A Voice: It seems to me that you’re a crowd of egotists.” Mr. Stall worthy: If a man is not confident he cannot inspire confidence in others. (Applause.) The candidate criticised the Reform Party for manipulating votes in the South Island by using the wheat duty, and said that the duty represented practically 2d on a 41b loaf. A motion of thanks and cofidence was carried on the 'voices.